Random conductivity of δ-Bi2O3 films

Abstract

The experimental investigation of the cubic δ-Bi2O3 phase grown on a (110) Au substrate at low temperature has disclosed a chaotic character of the conductivity at low voltage and temperature. Based on first-principles calculations, we show that the conductivity of this oxide strongly depends on the distribution of oxygen ions and that oxygen migration is able to cause a momentary switch of the conduction mechanism.